For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Grykon
Summary: Five months into Paige's pregnancy and the unthinkable happens. I make no claims to ownership of the characters contained herein or anything related to the premise of the Scorpion TV show. This is completely unofficial and this story idea is solely of my own mind. AU 35.004


Walter stood in the delivery room, holding the Paige's lifeless hand, staring down at her beautiful face.

A nurse brought over the small bundle and gently laid it in the crook of Paige's arm, "I'm so sorry Walter, had you guys picked out a name for your daughter so I can update the certificate?"

Walter's eyes stayed fixed upon Paige's face, "Megan Happy O'Brien," he said with emotionless tones.

The Dr. stepped up, his scrub hat in his hands and he reached up and placed his hand on Walter's shoulder, "Mr. O'Brien, Walter I am so sorry, the hemorrhage was just too severe, there wasn't enough time to save either of them. I'm so devastated, I've come to care so much for you and your family these months, your love for each other was so infectious."

Walter nodded, "Thank you for all you did." Walter still stared at Paige's face.

The Dr. patted his shoulder and walked over to the door and looked back at Walter before leaving the room. He walked out into the waiting room and team Scorpion immediately jumped up and came forward. He looked up at them, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry guys. She began to hemorrhage before we could deliver her daughter; it was too much, too fast. Maybe if I had been a bit younger, a bit faster, but I lost them both."

The grief spread instantaneously through the team. Ralph shouted, "No! Mom!" and ran around the group and past the Dr and into the delivery room. Cabe and Allie moved quickly following behind him.

Sylvester broke down instantly and Florence took him in her arms with tears in her eyes, Happy buried her face into her daughter as Toby wrapped his arms around her. "Did Walter settle on a name?" Toby asked.

The Dr nodded, "Megan Happy O'Brien."

Ralph threw himself on top of his Mom and cried. Cabe stepped up to Walter and put his hands on his shoulders, tears running down his face freely as Allie walked over and sat down next to Paige and began rubbing Ralph's back. "Son, I am so sorry. We've lost two of our dearest loved ones." Cabe said with no effect on Walter.

The door opened and Allie looked back and saw the rest of the team move into the room. Each one came up to Ralph first and tried to be supportive and then over to Walter who remained stony faced and unresponsive as he continued to hold her hand and stare into Paige's face.

After about a half hour, Ralph had cried himself out for the time being and he agreed to leave with Happy and Toby. He didn't even stop to say anything to Walter. Florence and Sylvester left as well, as Allie and Cabe stayed with Walter.

An hour passed as Walter still just stood there holding Paige's hand. Allie stepped back up and pulled the cover back to expose Megan's face and head, the soft blondish brown hair and beautiful face, almost smiling. "She's so beautiful, just like her Mommy." Allie said. Cabe stepped up and looked down, "She sure is." He kissed Allie's cheek as the tears began rolling back down his face.

Walter looked down and saw their daughter for the first time and he instantly broke down and fell to the floor crying. His cries of anguish and loss were so deep and penetrating; several of the nurses came in to check on them. Allie clung to Cabe and began crying as Walter's grief penetrated deep into her soul.

It took another hour to get Walter to agree to get up and they left to go to the Garage. Walter sat down on the couch by the door, "We'll need to make arrangements for Paige and Megan. Do you know any mortuaries Cabe? I only know the crematory services." Walter finally spoke.

"I can make some calls Walt, I'm sure we can wait a couple of days." Cabe told him.

"We should get this done as soon as we can." Walter shook his head.

"Would you like me to pick out something for Paige to be buried in Walter?" Allie asked.

Walter nodded, "There's a pink open shoulder dress she wore to Happy and Toby's wedding, she looked stunning in it."

"I'll see if I can find it, what about for Megan?" Allie asked.

Walter just nodded, "Whatever you think best." Walter began crying again.

Ralph had cried himself to sleep on Happy and Toby's couch. Toby covered him up with a blanket as Happy watched from the kitchen. Ralph's phone rang and Toby picked it up and looked at the name, "Drew". Toby stepped into the kitchen, "Hello"

"Ralph?" Drew's voice came across.

"No, this is Toby, Ralph's friend." Toby answered.

"Oh, hey Toby, Can I speak to Ralph?" Drew asked.

"Sorry, he just fell asleep." Toby told him.

"He left me a message, he said Paige died?" Drew asked.

"Wow, really? The mother of your child dies and that's how you ask?" Toby replied as he looked at Happy.

"What happened? Ralph hadn't said she was sick or anything. What about her baby?" Drew asked.

"She started to miscarry, but the bleeding was too severe, we lost them both." Toby told him.

"I'm really sorry to hear that. Look, when Ralph wakes up, let him know I will be there in about six hours." Drew told him.

"Great, I'll let him know." Toby told him as he hung up. He looked at Happy, "Mr. Wonderful will be here in about six hours."

Happy rolled her eyes.

Allie came back down the stairs with the dress and a cute little dress she and Cabe had gotten them for the baby shower. "How's this little dress?" Allie asked.

Walter looked up, "Paige loved that dress, thank you." He told her through his tears.

Cabe walked over, "Here son, friend's of mine used this place a few months ago; they said they were very respectful."

Walter nodded, "I'm not sure I should be driving right now, do you mind?"

"I wasn't about to let you son, if you are sure about this, let me call and see if they can see us." Cabe told him.

The next couple of days were a complete blur to Walter, they'd all come back to the Garage following the burial services. Walter sat at his desk, still emotionless except for a few times when he'd break down. Drew walked over to Walter and pulled some paperwork out of his suit pocket. "Walter, I know you are dealing with a lot right now, and while I don't want to add to it, I've got to be upfront with you, I've got a court order giving me immediate custody of Ralph."

Cabe jumped up and ran over and slugged him, "You son of a bitch! You pull this crap now?" Cabe screamed at him.

Drew slowly got up holding his jaw, "You're grieving, I get that so I am going to let that slide. Ralph is still my son, and with Paige gone, he is my responsibility now. Walter is in no condition to be caring for him and it isn't Ralph's responsibility to be caring for an adult at his age. There is a hearing in a couple of days; Walter can present his case there. For now, Ralph is coming with me. Ralph, grab the things you need for right now, your going to the hotel with me. We can get the rest of your things later."

Ralph grabbed his backpack and started to walk out with Drew and stopped and walked back to Walter's desk. "This is all your fault, my Mom is dead because of you, because you couldn't take the proper precautions. I hate you!" He screamed and then turned and ran out of the Garage.

Walter sat staring after him and he collapsed upon his desk crying. Everyone came up around him taking turns hugging him, trying to console his grief.

"Sweetie, wake up please. Please Walter, wake up." Paige said as she shook him.

"Dad, come on, wake up. You're having a bad dream." Ralph said to him.

Walter woke with a start, his pillow soaked in tears as he saw Paige and Ralph standing beside him, he looked about; they were in the loft master bedroom. He reached out and touched Paige's face and slid his hand down and touched her pregnant belly and then he reached over and touched Ralph's face. "Oh dear God, I thought I lost both of you," he said looking at Paige, "and then Drew took you away from me," he looked at Ralph, "you told me you hated me, that it was my fault your Mom died." Walter told them as he began crying, "It was so real, so vivid."

With tears in her eyes Paige sat down beside him on the bed and hugged Walter to her. "We're both fine, I'm healthy, our daughter is healthy. We're only four months away now." She told him as she kissed him.

Walter nodded.

"I could never hate you Dad and I would never go with Drew over you." Ralph told him.

Walter hugged them both to him. "Sorry for disturbing you both." Walter told them.

They both hugged him back. "We're a family; if we can't disturb each other then who can we disturb?" Paige said with a light laugh.

"Hey, since we're awake anyway, can we go and get some ice cream?" Ralph asked hopefully.

Walter and Paige both laughed, "Sure buddy," Walter said, "I'm not going to be able to go back to sleep for a while anyway." He looked into Paige's eyes.

Paige laughed, "Oh sure, use a pregnant woman's cravings against her. Go get dressed Ralph." She looked down at Walter for a moment and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry you went through that. It had to be pretty awful. I can't imagine; if I had a dream where I lost Megan and you. I'd be a real mess."

Walter smiled, "In the dream we had finally settled on Megan's middle name."

Paige laughed, "Oh really? What did we settle on?"

"Happy," Walter said simply.

Paige turned it over in her mind a few times, "I could live with that. Get up and get dressed if we're going." Paige stood up and went into the master bath and then to the walk in closet.

Walter got up and threw on some sweats and put his shoes on. He walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. Ralph was there smiling.

The over night staff at Kovelsky's was surprised but happy to see them come in; they quickly set them up at their favorite table.

They arrived back at the Garage as the Sun was beginning to color the sky to the east. Ralph was slightly drowsy and returned to bed willingly. Paige and Walter undressed and crawled back into bed. Paige curled up against Walter with her head on his shoulder and his arm under her. Slowly she drifted off to sleep. Walter laid there feeling relieved and grateful for some time.

"Hey! You guys coming down anytime soon?" Happy hollered up the stairs. "Hey! Can you hear me?"

Toby looked over at her, "I guess you are going to have to go up there and knock on their door."

Happy looked back at him on the couch, "Why don't you?"

Toby looked up at her, "You want to take the chance of me seeing Paige in a state of undress?"

Happy's eyes narrowed and she began walking up the steps and stopped halfway up. "Wait, so you are okay with me seeing Walt in a state of undress?"

Toby smiled, "No, but Walter is too puritanical, he wouldn't open that door if the room was on fire if he wasn't fully dressed."

As Happy got to the top she saw Ralph walk sleepily out of his room. She asked, "Hey Squirt, late night?"

Ralph nodded, "Sort of, Dad had a really bad dream last night. Took us a good while to wake him up from it, then we went out for ice cream."

Happy smiled, "Well at least it had a good ending then. Are you hungry? Want me to make you something for breakfast while they sleep?"

Ralph nodded and he looked down to the lower level.

"Morning Ralph," Toby greeted him as he played with Sasha.

"Morning Toby, morning Sasha," Ralph said with a smile.

"Hi Ralph," Sasha said back as she looked up at him.

"I'm going to fix Ralph some breakfast, Walter had a bad night last night, might be a while before they come down." Happy told Toby from the loft.

"Hey, I could go for some eggs," Toby said as he perked up.

Happy smiled, "With your cholesterol numbers? I don't think so Fungus." Happy told him.

Happy busied herself in the kitchen as Ralph sat at the kitchen table and watched. She'd put bacon on a baking sheet and got it in the oven and dropped some bread in the toaster then got the eggs out of the fridge, "How you want your eggs Ralph?" She asked.

"Over easy please," Ralph replied with a smile.

Happy started some coffee and after flipping the bacon over half way through cooking, she heated the frying pan.

The smell of bacon cooking woke Paige. She smiled as got up and put her robe on and walked out of the bedroom and found Ralph sitting at the kitchen table and Happy cooking eggs. "Good morning," she said.

"Morning Mom," Ralph answered as she kissed his head.

"Morning Waitress," Happy said with a smile, teasing her. "How's Walt?" Happy asked.

Paige poured herself a cup of coffee, asleep, took him a good while. The dream really messed with him. Thank you for this." She gestured at Ralph and cooking.

"No problem, glad to help out." Happy told her.

"Morning Paige," Toby said as he reached the top of the stairs with Sasha. "Someone wanted to see what Mommy was doing." He told Happy.

Happy smiled, "Fixing some breakfast for Ralph sweetie. You want some Paige? I got some bacon cooking for you and Walt if you do."

Paige smiled, "Sure, thank you." Paige sat down next to Ralph.

Toby poured some coffee and sat down, "What was the dream about?"

Paige looked at the bedroom door, "He had a dream that I started miscarrying and the bleeding was so bad, the Dr wasn't able to save either of us. And then Drew came and took Ralph away and Ralph had told him he hated him and blamed him for me dying."

"Wow that would certainly be a bad dream. Or more like a nightmare." Toby said.

"In the dream we finally picked a middle name for Megan though, I liked it. I think it's a keeper." She told him.

"Oh really, what did you pick?" Toby asked.

Paige looked at Happy, "Megan Happy O'Brien."

Happy nearly dropped the plate with Ralph's breakfast, "Seriously?"

Paige smiled and nodded.

"Wow, thank you." Happy said simply.

* * *

Greetings my friends, I woke up to this story rumbling around my head and it really messed with me. I had originally thought to just forget it, then I thought about making it another AU story as I couldn't see doing that to my prime universe story line. But then the rest of the story began to take form and I was able to accept it. Hope it didn't mess with you as much as it did me. My inner Sylvester was taking a beating trying to write it. -Tim


End file.
